The gifted never outgrow being gifted. Parents meet their needs before and during their school years. Educators meet their needs during their school years. And after the school years?

One of the critical issues in gifted education is making sure that services from Kindergarten through grade 12 prepare them for a life of learning in a world that may or may not appreciate their gifts. In what ways can T.A.G.T ensure the gifted are ready for their post education world? Our association has secured the services of a professional to help with legislative policy at the state capital. His focus is accountability for services provided to our state’s gifted learners. As I write this, Mr. De Leon is working toward an incentive program aimed at the Texas Performance Standards Project© or any similar effort developed by a district. By the time you read this, my hope is that we have accomplished our goal.

The legislation will contribute to “And after?” T.A.G.T. feels that this step is vital for the gifted. With accountability tossed and funding at an all-time low, gifted students and their teachers are left with little but frustration.

Ask yourself, your fellow teachers, your administrators, and your gifted students’ parents these questions:

• Is a brown bag lunch time enough to meet the needs outlined above?
• Is the unfulfilled teachers’ desire to get to the gifted after the low achievers and bubble students enough?
• Is Commended Performance enough?

Next, ask them these questions:

What if we provide

• an opportunity to explore a subject of passion?
• the time for the development of a new invention or a new idea?
• opportunities to learn how to make a presentation to professionals enough?

This legislative effort will provide opportunities for the gifted to participate with these endeavors that will meet their learning, social, and emotional needs. While the students and the district both will be evaluated through student products, it will be the content and process that will make the difference for our students after they leave the educational setting. As students have the opportunity to follow their passions with the guidance of adults who have the wisdom borne of experience, they will gain ability to structure the exploration of an interest. They will gain knowledge of relevant content and learn processes that lead to deep and meaningful experiences. They will learn to apply their critical and creative thinking capabilities so that intuitive talents are given form and function. They will learn to produce in ways that contribute to their community and state. They will learn that their gifts are a part of who they are and how they express their ideas. They will accept their gifts as a part of their life-long adventure.

Mr. De Leon suggests that we approach our legislators with information about what our gifted students do for our communities and our state. I believe that we can easily tell that story to our local school and community leaders. This spring your T.A.G.T board will publish articles in local newspapers that tell the G/T story. When you see one, respond to it with a letter to the editor about what the gifted in your area do for the community and state and why gifted education is vital to our communities and our state. When you see one, cut it out and send it to your local leaders or obtain it from the newspaper’s website and forward it to everyone you know.

When given the opportunity to express their gifted abilities, our students will shine in our communities, our state, our country, and our world for now and for all their lives.